Jennifer Lopez Defends Scientology

Though not a practitioner herself, Jennifer Lopez spoke up on behalf of Scientology – and revealed that her father, David Lopez, is a follower – during a weekend interview with a Miami TV station.

"My dad has been a Scientologist for 20 years," Lopez, 37, told South Florida's NBC6. "It's weird people want to paint it in a negative way."

Lopez made her remarks while being asked about Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' Nov. 18 "wedding of the decade" in Italy, which Lopez and her husband, Marc Anthony, attended. Besides the groom, Lopez's close friend, Leah Remini, is a Scientologist.

Asked for her response to some people's negative perception of Scientology, Lopez said, "I, myself, am Catholic. But it's just sad that people would look at it (Scientology) in that way."

After the interview aired, Lopez's rep, Leslie Sloane, said, "Jennifer is not a Scientologist, nor is she becoming a Scientologist.